Canada Pushes For Online Sportsbooks

Canadian gaming groups are pushing local legislators to approve a bill legalizing Vegas-style online sportsbooks, in a move that has them at odds with the NHL and the other big North American sports leagues.

Canadian Online Betting Push

Paul Burns, VP of Public Affairs for the Canadian Gaming Association, recently said that parlay cards for sports betting are no longer sufficient. He said legalized betting would deter Canadian punters from betting at illegal offshore sports, which is currently an estimated $14 billion industry.

A bill was introduced in the Canadian parliament almost two years ago to allow residents to wager on a single sporting event. At present, single-game betting is illegal under the Canadian criminal code while the country offers a sports lottery in which punters can "parlay" on three or more games.

Betting Overseas

The good thing for Canadians is that they can place bets online through leading European sportsbooks such as William Hill and bet365 Sports. With the use of credit cards and e-wallets, they can make deposits and withdraw winnings without having to worry about legal repercussions.

The NHL and NBA seasons both finished this week with the Chicago Blackhawks and Miami Heat taking out the respective titles. But with so much money being spent on wagers on these sports as well as the NFL and MLB, it seems only a matter of time before the Canadian (and American) government approve the necessary reforms.